Political Diary

New Delhi, 5 April 2014

Nafrat Ke Saudagar

MORALITY GOES TO THE DOGS

By Poonam I Kaushish

Rajnetik virodhi ya jaani dushman? Tragically, the lines between a political opponent and a sworn enemy have got blurred wherein hate speeches, trash talk and brazen innuendoes seem to be the flavour of the election season. Dumping basic courtesies and decencies all take vitriolic delight in reveling in their baser characteristics. Swaying to the heady tinkle of money, cheap thrills and seetees. What now India! 

Wherein, everyone and everything is game from “Napunsak Modi” (Salman Khurshid against Modi for failing to check the 2002 Gujarat’s communal riots) to “Tarka Sonia” (Ramdev comparing Sonia Gandhi to a demon in Ramayan), Kejriwal’s “Stuck between a moron (Rahul) and murderer (Modi),” and Modi referring to the AAP Chief as a Pakistani agent and AK 49( Kejriwal’s 49 days as Delhi Chief Minister.) Should one applaud?

At the outset, unlike my fellow tribesmen, I really don’t understand what the brouhaha is about. Frankly, I am neither surprised as come elections our netagan are only showing their girgit true colours throwing all public decency and decorum to the winds! With the stakes for India’s Raj gaddi skyrocketing, for the Saffron Sangh and its Prime Ministerial poster boy Narender Modi it is an abhi-nahin-toh-kabhi-nahin battle.

For the Congress, confused about its support base, devoid of a vote plank and desperate about stopping arch rival BJP from wresting power, it has fallen back to its tried and tested formula --- blatant minoritism, which, actually, is brazen communalism. Asserted Sonia, “I appeal to the Muslims not to divide the Muslim vote, stop the "secular vote" from splitting and protect secularism.” Sic.

In one fell stroke she trashed the Election Commission’s Moral Code of Conduct clause that asserts:  “There shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. Mosques, churches, temples or other places of worship shall not be used as forum for election propaganda.” Big deal!

Resulting in a menacing Amit Shah, Modi’s Man Friday rebutting, “This election is about badla and protecting izzat by voting out the Samajwadi Government that protects and gives compensation to those who killed Jats,” he averred in riot-hit Muzaffarnagar.

Undoubtedly, the Moral Code of Conduct has become the most potent missile in the arsenal of political rivals. The list of offenders reads like a virtual `who is who' of Indian politics and encompassing all Parties. From political heavy weights down filmi sitare to mafia dons and halka-pulka netas.

Questionably, if a candidate in UP states, “If Modi tries to make UP into Gujarat we will chop him in to pieces,” and Sonia thunders, “I firmly believe you will not allow those who sow zeher ki kheti (seeds of poison) with Modi retaliating, “Yadhi aap chahetai hain ki Chattisgarh ke upar kisi khooni panje ka saaya na padhe toh aap kamal mein button dabana,” would it tantamount to the death of democracy? That is juvenile to say the least. The voter is not stupid who could be swayed by such electoral garbage.

The torrent of vitriolic remarks doesn’t end here. NCP’s Sharad Pawar dubs Modi as “deranged who needs to be treated in a mental hospital,” a Rajasthan BJP candidate threatens to strip Sonia and Rahul and dispatch them to Italy. Replete with name calling from “old lady” down calling rivals “jackals who land in jail when the lion acts,” to “Es Italian kutiya ki kitni himmat hai bhai.. khud to sare desh ka rupaiya loot kar apne account me bhar kar rakh liya."

Worse followed. Samajwadi leader Azam Khan called NaMo a “kutte ke bachche ka bada bhai while Congress’s Beni Prasad Verma dubbed the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate as the “biggest goon” of RSS and Party President Rajnath Singh Modi's slave”

Besides, titillating voters has become common. Symptomatic of this was Samajwadi Party candidate Nahid Hasan’s innuendo linking Modi and Mayawati’s single status to a post-poll alliance between the BJP and BSP. “Woh teen baar Modi ki godh mein bathe chukeyi hai”. It has not even spared the poor cockroaches, chipkalis et al. Election Commission and its moral code of conduct notwithstanding.

Clearly, the blame for this descent of political discourse into the depth of political vulgarity lies squarely with Parties. Quick to crack the whip and complain post haste to the Election Commission they have shied away from demanding the same discipline for such crude and repulsive swipes at rivals.

Scandalously, the impunity to such offenders along-with the toothless moral code acts as an implicit sanction for more such attacks. Asserted an EC official, “The Code lacks legal sanction. It is intended to work as a moral policeman to ensure free and fair elections. We can only freeze a Party’s election symbol or derecognize it as a national party. Nothing more, nothing less.”

In fact, two Supreme Court Benches are hearing petitions seeking a ban on hate speech. But the problem is two dimensial. While one Bench viewed the issue as a fundamental right whereby the right to free speech could not be curtailed, even as some find certain statements objectionable and others acceptable. Said the judges, “We are a mature democracy and it is for the public to decide”.

However, the second Bench has asked the Law Commission to consider whether leaders making hate speeches could be disqualified and their Parties de-recognised. Moreover, it advised law enforcement agencies to utilise extant laws contained in the Indian Penal Code to criminalise hate speech.

Alas, gone are the days of politicians enunciating their ideology and policies in measured tone and tenor of how they plan to take the country forward on a growth trajectory. Today, polls have been reduced to a slugfest of personal insinuations and character assassinations against opponents which brings out the worst in everyone.

Thereby, vitiating the very idea of democracy. Never mind, the aam aadmi’s distaste for vulgarity, gender insensitivity, sexist thinking and speeches spewing communal hatred. Additionally, with Parties refusing to act against hate-laden speeches, the case for allowing the EC to disqualify candidates, with legal safeguards, gains currency.

What next? Undeniably, our leaders need to tone down the divisive and personal attacks that they indulge in and take on each other on issues that their constituencies and the nation face. Those who reduce the level of discourse to such depths only do so at the cost of exposing their lack of civility to the electorate and the nation at large.

Importantly, India is today at the moral crossroads. Specially against the backdrop of our politicians having perfected the art of cultivating low morality and high greed, donning different party robes, according to their whims and fancies --- and the need of the hour. Leaving India dangerously communal, but the political parties and their leaders hypocritically secular. 

Our polity should remember one age-old truth” If you point one slanderous finger at another, four other slanderous fingers will point back at you! Can a nation be bare and bereft of all sense of shame and morality? And, for how long?  ---- INFA

(Copyright India New and Feature Alliance)